Clock.



6.1. ANDERSON.

CLOCK.

APPLICATIQN HLEO on. 13. 1915.

1,188,877. Patented June 27,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

g 8 5 0 zwb djflnelel'san A TTORNE Y8 m1. ANDERSON.

CLOCK. APPLICATIQN FILED OCT- 13. 1915. 1 ,188,877 Patent/ed June 27, 1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wlmssszs: INVENTOR olzwwdfflndw'yow ATTORNEYS arm 9 engages the pin in a direction to move UNITED STATES PATENT oreon.

GOT'I'FRTD J. ANDUBSON, OF GREENSBORd, NORTH CAROLINA.

cLocx.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1,: Go' 'rrnm .I. ANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greensboro, in thecounty of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clocks, of which the following is a specificatio My invention is an impr'ovement in clocks,

and the invention has for its object to provide a clock, wherein the usual spring and worksare omitted, being replaced by electrically operated mechanism for moving thehands in accordance with the passage of time. p Inthe drawings Figure 1 i saiseotional view of a clock with the case in section,

'- showing the parts-in one position, Fig. 21s a detail of Fig. 1, showing the parts in am other position, Fig. 3 is a similar detail, showing the parts in a third position, F1g. 4

I r is a view similar toFig. 1, showing the parts in another position, Fig. 5 is a sectional view throughthe armature of the magnet, Fig. 6 is adetail of the contact mechanism, Figs. 7 and 8 are sectionson. the lines '7-7 and 88, respectively, of Fig. 6, Fig. 9 is a front view of the clock with parts broken away, 10 is asection on the line 10-1O of Fig. 9, looking in the directionof the arrows adjacent to the line, and Fig. 11 is-a -detail of the pawl and ratchet mechanism v v for the minute'hand.

The. present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a case 1, and

the mechanism comprises the balance wheel hub of the balance wheel to move the lever it has been moved in a 2, mounted on the balance staff 3, and haw ing the usual ha'ir spring 4, which is connected to the wheel to return thewheel when manner to bepresently described.

Adjacent to the balance wheel'is arrangeda lever 5, 'thesaid .lever' having a hub 6,

which is pivoted on the pivot pin-7, and-the free end of the lever is beveled as shown, and is adapted for engagement by a pin 8 on the in one direction;-

The hub 6 of the lever has a radial arm 9, extending-at an obtuse angle with respect to the lever 5, and this arm is engaged by a pin 10 on. a head 11, which is at one'end of a plate'spring 12. The other end of the plate spring has a base 13, which is secured to the case bya screw 14, and a stop pin 15. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Juneev, 1916.

' Application filed October 18,1915. Serial No. 55,048.. v

the head and the spring 12 in one direction, and the movement of the head and spring in and this lever has its outer end beveled and is adapted to engage a wiper cam 23 on the shaft of the balance wheel. :The jewel 17 normally engagesa'bove the cam' plate 18 to prevent movement of the lever. A second the opposite direction from the lever 22, and this lever 24-engages a .pin 25 on a head 26,

on one end of a plate spring 27. This spring 27 is secured to the case in thesame manner- 'as the spring 12, as indicated at 28, and a 1 stop 29 limits the movement of the spring.-

the opposite direction is limited by a fixed lever 24 extends radially from the hub 19 in and head in one direction... A segmental jewel 30 is secured to theouter face of the head and the fiat edgeof the jewel'is adapted to engage above a camplate 31, extending radially from thehub 32, pivoted to the case on a pivot pin 33. A third.'lever 34'extends radially from the hub 19 at an acute angle to the lever 22 for a purpose to be presently described, and" the lever 5 has an extension.

35 on the opposite sideof its pivotal mounting, and the extension is engaged by a spring 36, the spring beingsecured to one end of.

the extension and at the otherfend'to the case, and acting to return the lever 5 to the .full line position of Fig. 3, when the said lever has beenreleased from thepin 8.

The lever 5 is limited in its movement under the influence of the spring 36' by means of a stop37 on the case. The hub 32, before mentioned, has a radial lever 38, extending at an obtuse angle with respect to the cam plate 31, and this lever 38 engages at its free end a pin 39, on anangle arm 40, which isconnected with the lever41.

The lever 41 is pivoted at 42 to the case and the lever has an arm 43, which'is pro- ,vided with a notch or recess in its free end, vand the notch 'or recess ise aged loosely by a plate 44, extending longitudinally from the armature 45 of a magnet 46, mounted in ion The angle arm is adjusted with respect to the lever and is held in adjusted position bythe screw 48. The armature 45, before mentioned, is connected with a shaft 49 at the center of the magnet, the armature having, an opening through which the shaft extends, and a spring 50 is arranged between the magnet and the armature.

A bracket arm 51 is secured to the case above the armature, and the shaft 49 extends through anopening in the bracket arm. A set screw 52 is threaded throu h the bracket arm into engagement with t e upper face of the armature, and the set screw limits the upward movement of the ar'mature.

Thelower end of the pin 49 engages an opening or recess in-the upper end of the magnet as shown in Fig. 5, and the said shaft 49 moves with the armature.

A lever 53 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 54 above the armature, and the ends of the lever are notched or recessed as shown.

One end of the lever engages a pin 55 on the shaft 49, and the other end engages a pin 56 on a sliding rod57, to which 18 connected a counter-weight 58. This rod 57 is guided in its sliding movement by bracket arms 59 and 59, the said arms belng secured to the case 'and having openings through which the rod extends.

When the magnet is energized andthe ar mature moves toward the core of the magnet the end of the lever 53 adjacent to the pin 49 will be moved downward and the counterweight 58 will be lifted as shown in Fig. 4. When the armature is moved toward the ma et under conditions to be presently described, the arm 43 will be swung, and the magnet is closed.

lever 41 will be swung in a direction indicated in 4. A

When the cam plate 31 is released by the swinging of the head 26 away from the stop 29 the normally opened circuit of the cuit'is brought about by an arm 60, which is rovidedwith a contact wheel 61, journa ed on the free end thereof, and adapted to contact with a second contact wheel 62 on the head 63 of a plate spring 64. One

end of this plate spring 64 is secured to the the head for limit' case as indicated at 65, in the same manner as the springs 12 and 27 are connected, and stops 66 -areprovided at opposite sides of the swingin move ment of the head. em contact w eels 61 and 62 are 'ournaled to rotate on the arm and the h respectively, and pawls 67 are '76 has an opening hlS closing of the cira tioned. .Binding posts 71 and 72 are connected with the case, and lead wires from a to a radial lug suitable source of electrical energy are connected with the ctive wire 73 leads from the binding post 71 to a connection. with the plate spring 64, and a second lead wire 74 leads from the binding post 72 to the magnet.- The other terminal of the magnet is connected by a lead wire 75 with the spring 68 before mentioned. When the cam plate 31 slips off the jewel 30 the contact wheel 61 will im medlately contact with the-contact wheel 62, and the circuit of the magnet will be closed. a The arm 76 before mentioned, is pivoted at 77 on the extension 35 of the lever 5, and a set screw 77- engagingthe extension 35 has its head fitting over the arm to hold it flat against the lever. The arm 76 has an angular extension 78, and a spring 79 is arran ed between this extension and the extension 35 of the lever 5, the spring acting normally to hold the arm 76 in contact with the adjacent edge of the lever 5. The arm through which extends a laterally extending pin 80, from the lever 5.

The arm 76 at itsfree end extends a little beyond the free end of the lever 5, and the lever 5 is not quite long enough to be engaged by the pin 8. The arm 76, however, extends far enough beyond the free end of the lever 5 to engage the pin 8. When the balance wheel is swung under the influence of the spring, because of the peculiar arrangement of thearm and the lever, the pin will swin both arm and lever as indicated in dotted es in Fig. 3. 1

The mounting of the various hubs and pivotal connections is the same as shown for the mounting of the hub 32 in;Fig. 7. In this figure the pivot pin 33hasits ends pointed, and they are held in conical recesses in the ends of bearing blocks or jewels 81, which are connected with the case. The bearings 81 may be of any insulating material to prevent electrical connection between the ivot pin 33 and the case.

The screw 82 which connects the end of the sprin 68 with the case is insulated from the case y an insulating sleeve 83, having a flange 84, and the lead wire 75 is connect- Alead ed to the pm as shown. The plate spring 64 to the insulating block by the connection 65,

.consisting of a screw and a pin.

The-counterweight 58 steadies the action of the magnet and, relieves it from jar.

Means is also provided for preventing overbanking of the balancewhe'el. This mecha msm as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is in the form of a ,lever 87 which ispivoted at 88, "and has a fork 89, at its lower. end. A pin.

1 90'0n the hub of the balance wheel is between the arms o f the fork and by its engagement with the said arms the pin, limits the movement of the balance wheel. The

lever however, may yield under the impulse l of the pin and thelever is provided with a diamond-sha ed head I 91" at the opposite-end from the for '11 plate spring 92 is secured to the case, as

indicated at 93, at one end and the other end has a head 94. This head engages the diamond-shaped head 91 of the lever 87, permit position.

In Figs.

between the electromagnet armature and the operating mechanism for moving the hands of the clock. The armatureis provided with a' laterally extending pin 95 on that face adjacent to the dial 96 of the clock, and this pin passes through a slot 97 in the supportlate or disk for the mechanism shown in;F1gs. 1 to 8, and bears against the outer end of a pawl lever98. The pawl lever is pivoted at 99 to the plate or disk before mentioned, and a coil sprin 100 normally presses the outer end of the ever upwardly. A pawl 101 isconnected to the inner end of the lever-with a limited pivotal connection,

7 and the movement 'of the lever 98 in one direction is limited by a stop 102. The pawl is pivoted at 103 to the lever 98, and the outer endis beveled, and engagesthe teeth The. pawl 101 may swing in onedirection to permit the return movement of the pawl past the teeth 104, and it is normally held in engagement with the teeth on the forward movement by a plate spring 106, the spring secured at one end to the lever 98 and at the other against the pawl. A pin -10 limits the swinging movement of the pawl under the influence of the spring.

being The hour hand 108 and the minute hand 109 are secured to an'arbor 110, and a shaft .111 respectively, the arbor'being journaled ,on the shaft, and the arbor has a gear wheel 112, secured thereto behind the dial. A ratchet wheel 113 is secured to the shaft adjacent to the wheel 112, and the-ratchet "wheel 113 has rigid therewith a pinion 114.

This pinion 114 is in mesh with a gear wheel .gagement with the teeth on the 9 to 11 is shown the connection .wheel 113, before mentioned, is'drive'n by a pawl lever 119, which is pivoted at 120 to the clock case.

A pawl 121 is pivoted to that end of the :lever adJacent to the ratchet wheel, and the free end of the pawl is beveled, and engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The pawl is pivoted to the lever as indicated at 122 and a spring 123 holds the pawl normall in en- I orward stroke of the pawl. A stop 124 is provided for limiting the movement of the pawl under the influence of the sv ring and the movement of the lever 119is hmited by stops 125 and 126, respectively. A spring 127 presses the adjacent end of the lever 119 toward the stop 125.

The wheel 104 is provided with an eccentric pin 128, which once during each complete rotation of the wheel 104 will engage a laterally extending lug 129 on an arm 130 integral with "the lever 119 and extending longitudinally thereof. For each movement of the magnet armature 45 toward the cores of the magnet the lever 98 is swung and the wheel 104 is moved a distance of one tooth. For each complete rotation of the wheel 104 the lever 119 is swung, and the minute wheel 113 is. moved a distance of one tooth. The

'minute wheel, through the gear connection -114-116-117 and- 112, drives the hour hand. The wheel 104 is prevented from reverse movement by a spring holding pawl 131. The lug 129is' a wedge shaped lug, having its small end toward the pin 128, the arrangement being such that when the lever 119 swings in a direction to move the minute hand forwardly the pin 128 may pass the lug 129. j

The operation of the device is as follows: With the electric connections broken, the balance wheel would make two or three oscillations backward and forward, the lever 9 would release the cam plates 18 and 31, and as the armature would not lock the cam plates, the position of the balance wheel and levers would be as shown in Fig. 3. The contact wheels would be in contact, and if now the lead wires should be connected V with the source of energy, the armature lever 5, and when the balance wheel starts moving in the opposite direction, or toward 7 116, which has rigid therewith a pinion 117, -wh1ch meshes wlth the gear wheel 112 of the left, the in 8 willeventually-move the lever 5 as in ig. 2, and as the cam plate 18 is released from the jewel 17, the arm 22 falls on the wiper cam 23, giving impulse to the balance wheel on-the flat or right side of the cam, and moving the cam and the balance wheel in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. When, after-having given theimpulse, the lever 22 lifts the wi r cam, the tension of the spring 21 causes I: e lever 24 to release the cam plate 31, and the circuit is closed through the wheels 61 'and 62. The armature will cause the lever 41 and the pin 39 to lock the cam plates 18' and 31, and the lever 22 takes its position for the next impulse without engaging the wi r cam which at this moment is still traveling toward the left, its position being ahnost opposite the point of the lever 5 as shown in Fig. 4. As the balance wheel starts on its turn toward the right, the wiper cam 23 meets no obstructions, but passes the point of the lever 22 without touching the said point, the lever being at the right of the cam, as shown in Fig. 1. As the balance wheelagain moves toward the left, the same operation is repeated, the impulse being imparted by the lever 22, and this lever is in sition to impart the impulse the moment t e lever 9 releases the cam plate 18. I r

The balance wheel is moved under the im pulse of the lever 22 by the never varying The balance strength of the spring 21. wheel in its movement to the left .is free from interference with any part, except for the lifting of the lever 5 as the wheel-moves toward the left, and theslipping over the arm 76 by the pin 8. Because of the above facts, the time keeping quality of theclock is of the highest order, the force running the balance wheel being constant and regardless of the strength of the electric current used. Only on the startin of the clock, that is, when the current is rst connected does the lever 22 start the clock from the beveled side of the wiper cam. Thus the clock is a self-starter, on the connection of the cam." After the clock has been once started, the impulse is imparted to the balance wheel from the spring 21, the electric current being used directly only to start the clock.

The release of the cam plate permits the hub 19 to swing under the influence of the spring 21, the arm 22 to give the impulse,

and the arm 24 swings the spring 27 to release the cam plate 31. v swings the hub 32 to cause the contact wheels 61 and 62 to contact, to complete the circuit through the electric magnet and the armature 45 is immediately drawn :toward the cores of the electro-magnet.

As the armature moves-toward the cores,-

.4, the-lever .41 is swung in. the direction 0 the arrow shownvin 4.

as shown in Fi the movement of in the electromagnet.

curved side of starting immediately the parts only in a The spring 68 the currentis broken, through the annature.

magnet the armature 45 moves away from the cores under the influence of the spring le iron 40 The end of the lever 41 swings the level 4 50 and the ratchet wheel ismoved a distance':

of one tooth.

The spring 21, in addition to function of holding t e hub 19 in position, is the motive force, which acts on the levers attached to the hub 19, and the tension of the spri may be regulated by turning the center on the hub. The lever 22 is en aged by the wiper cam at the o posite side from the bevel. It will be un erstood that the angle arm 40 could be made integral-with the lever 41 if desired, and the position of the a le. arm may be regulated by loosening e screw 48. i

The counterweight 58 is designed to stead" y- Y the ar'matu'reand to pre-' a.

vent shock or jar, and the'said counterweight is' an important featureof the invention for this reason. 1 It willlbe evident from. the descri tion that the improved clock nses wit usualmechanism for-returning the balance wheel, that is, with the usual works. .The hands are driven, and as a con uenee, the time is measured by the electrica impulses It will be understood that in a position of rest, that is, of perfect rest with the lever released, the. cam 23 would be about midway between the lever 22 and the lever 5. When nowthe armature energized the lever 22 will'start the balance wheel by engaging the the wi 'r cam. The wiper cam occupies this position with-res to position of perfect rest with the current oil as for instance, with the lead wires disconnected.

I claim I 1. In a movement for indicating time and in combination with the trainfiof gearing, time indicating means and a ratchet mechanism for intermittently operating the train of gearing, an .electromagnet, a circuit closer included in circuit with themagnet, an armature actuated by the magnet to impart movement to the ratchet mechanism, a balance wheel, a primary lever actuated by the armature, a plural ty of 006 rating spring actuated trip levers interm 'ate the primary lever and balancfe'wheel ping means betwwn the balance one of the springactuated tri controlled by the movements 0 and trip wheel and the balance the III

levers, and I Qwheel transmit movement froin-one lever to the other, one f such spring actuated trip;

levers controlling the circuit closer. -2.' In a clock, the combination with the minute hand,-the- .hour hand and the spring" controlled balance wheel,=oi an electromagnet, an armaturecooperatin with the mag ma et is interposed, a switch in connection wit the clock for controlling-the circuit, a

spring normally acting to close-the switchf releasable means for restraining'the closing of the switch, means controlled-by the movement of the'armatur'e toward the magnet for swin 'ng-thebalance wheel in one direction, and or returning the switch to normal position with the circuit open, means controlled,

by the movement ofthe balance wheel in the opposite direction under theinfiuence of its controlling spring. for releasing the restraining means for the switch, aconnection between ,the clock and" the minute hand of the clock for moving the said minute hand, and

a drivin connection between the minute hand an the hour hand.

3. In a clock, the combination with the minute hand and the hour hand, a driving connection betweenthe minute hand and'the hour hand for driving the hour hand synchronously with the minute hand, and a spring controlled balance'wheel, of electrically controlled means for moving the minute hand at predetermined intervals,

normally operated switch mechanism for controlling the electrically controlled means, means'for restraining the operation of the switch controlling means, means in connection with the electrically controlled means and operated thereby for moving the bal- 40 ance w eel in one direction and for releasing the restraining means for the switch, and spring actuated trip means operated by the movement of the balance wheel to release the switch controllingmeans which are restored to normal position by the action of the electrically controlled means when the circuit is closed.

r 4;. In a clock, the combination with the minute and the hour hand, the con- 1 nection between the minuteand the. hour .chronism with t e minute .hand and the spring controlled balance wheel, of electrically controlled, means for 'm' a hand a predetermined distance, nornet, 'an'open circuit in whichthe electroer'b mall operated switch mechanism for controlling the electrically controlled means,

switch restraining means including a balance wheel, andmeans controlled by the electrically -controlled means and operated when the. niinute hand is moved for moving the balanc .wheel in one direction, andfor restoring thelrest'raimng means of the switch mechanism to normal position; a

5. In 'a "clock, the combination with the minute and the hour hand and the driving means' ior restraining the operation, of the .sw1tch1 mechanism, a trip mechanism for the having an armature, a connection between the armature and the minute hand for moving the minute hand predetermined distances when the armature moves toward the ma et, a normally open electrical circuit in wh ch the magnet is interposed, switch mechanism for opening and closing'the circuit, means acting normally to cause the switch mechanism to close the circuit, re-

leasable means for restraining the closing of the switch, a balance wheel, a spring for I moving'the balance wheel in one direction,

means operated by the balance Wheel when moved under the impulse of the spring for releasing the restraining means, and means controlled by the movement of the armature toward the magnet for moving the balance wheel inthe opposite direction and for restoringthe restraining means to normal position;

GOTTFRID J.

Witnesses:

-' J. A. OSBOR'N,

R.- C. Giannini.

ANDERSQN. 

